Container and closure therefor



Oct. 29, 1968 A. MILLIS CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1966 Era 4 fwww a W WWW Z 7 w A Z 4% United States Patent 3,407,954 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Alexander Millis, 519 S. Coronado St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90057 Filed Aug. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 573,274 7 Claims. (Cl. 215-9) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The closure cap includes rotatable annular members having internal ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves of the cap coact with complementary structures on the bottle or container locking the cap thereon for all orientation of the annular members except one which permits the cap to be removed.

This invention relates to containers and more particularly to bottles and the like for keeping. dangerous chemicals, drugs or other preparations out of the hands of children.

In the past it has been the practice to use snap type plastic caps or bottle tops to keep children from obtaining the contents of a medicine or aspirin bottle or the like. The caps fit so tightly that it is difficult for a child to remove them. However, it is, nevertheless, possible.

In accordance with the device of the present invention, the above-described and other disadvantages. of the prior art are overcome by providing a container such as a bottle having a neck portion and a cap portion that fit together in a way to make it difficult to separate the two. In particular, the cap portion has a type of combination lock, more or less. According to one embodiment of the invention, a ring is provided on one of the portions and a projection on the other. The ring has a gap in it. The projection slides down through the gap and around underneath the ring. When two such rings and projections are employed, it is necessary to perfectly align the projections with the gaps before the bottle cap can be removed. This, therefore, makes it extremely difiicult for a person to remove the cap from the bottle.

In order to remove the cap from the bottle, indicia may be provided around the cap. The cap may be divided in to two or three or more sections. Thus, when the indicia on one section is aligned with that on the other, the cap can come off. However, it must be known what the combination must be before the bottle cap can be removed from the bottle. It is also convenient to provide the bottle neck with an index mark to tell where the appropriate indicia combination must be located in order to remove the cap from the bottle.

A still further feature of the bottle cap employs a partial helical thread to tighten the cap onto the bottle.

A further feature of the invention also resides in the use of an adaptor neck for a conventional bottle made in accordance with the device of the present invention.

The above-described and other advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle cap and a bottle constructed in accordance with the present invention; p

7 FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conven' tional bottle and a neck adaptor constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle cap constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bottle FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevational views, partly in section, showing the locations of the different parts of the cap and bottle of the present invention when the bottle is closed and open;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the cap and bottle taken on the line 8-8 shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the cap and bottle taken on the line 9-9 shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the cap and bottle taken on the line 10-10 shown in FIG. 7.

The bottle of the present invention is indicated at in FIG. 1. Bottle 20 has a neck portion 21. Neck portion 21 has a partial male thread 22 at its upper end including portions 23 and 24. Portions 23 and 24, perhaps best shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, extend arcuately approximately 90 degrees and are spaced angularly apart about 90 degrees.

Neck portion 21 has rings 25 and 26 therearound. Ring 25 has a gap 27. Ring 26 has a gap 23. An index mark.29 is provided on neck portion 21 midway between the ends of rings 25 and 26 in gaps 27 and 28, respectively.

The bottle cap of the present invention is indicated at 30 in FIG. 1. Bottle cap 30 has an upper section 31, an intermediate section 32 and a lower section 33. Note will be taken that intermediate section 32 has indicia in the form of letters 34 thereon. Lower section 33 has indicia in the form of letters 35 thereon.

If it is desired to convert a conventional bottle to a container constructed in accordance with the present invention, a neck adaptor 36 may be provided for a conventional bottle 37. Bottle 37 has a thread 38. Neck adaptor 36 has a cylindrical portion 39 which has a conventional female thread, not shown, to mate with male thread 38. Neck adaptor 36 is otherwise identical to neck portion 21 of bottle 20. Neck adaptor 36 is screwed onto bottle 37 and cemented there.

As shown in FIG. 3, upper bottle cap section 31 has internal projections 40 and 41 which fit over partial threads 23 and 24. Projections 40 and 41 have female threads 42.

Intermediate section 32 has a split 43 therein. Intermediate section 32 also has an inwardly extending projection 44. Lower section 33 has a similar inwardly extending projection 45. As shown in FIG. 4, bottle cap 30 has a disc 46 which may be made of cork or rubber type padding.

Upper section 31 has a rib 47 that extends radially inward. Intermediate section 32 has two ribs, an upper rib 48 and a lower rib 49 which extend radially outward. Lower section 33 has a rib 50 which extends radially inward. Note will be taken that rib 47 snaps over rib 48. Similarly, rib 50 snaps over rib 49. The snap action is produced because sections 31, 32 and 33 are all made of a plastic which may have some resilience. The split 43 in intermediate section 32 is thus provided so that the diameter of intermediate section 32 can be reduced to permit ribs 47 and 50 to be snapped over ribs 48 and 49, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5 in the closed position, cap 30 is screwed onto neck portion 21. Upper section 31 is screwed down tight on the upper end of neck portion 21 by the use of arcuate portions 23 and 24 of thread 22. Projection 44 slips downwardly through the gap 27 in ring 25. Projection slips downwardly through both gaps 27 and 28 in rings 25 and 26, respectively. v

In the 'position shown in FIG. 5, note will be taken that removal of cap 30 from neck portion 21 of bottle 20 will take a great deal of effort and ingenuity. In particular, it is necessary to unscrew upper section 31 and hold projection 40 and 41 in between arcuate portions 3. 23 and 24 of thread 22. Projection 44 is then located in gap 27 and projection 45 is located in gap 28. Cap 30 is then pulled off of the neck portion 21 of bottle 20. The order of these steps is not extremely important. This is demonstrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Note will be taken from FIG. 7 that the end of arcuate thread portion 24 acts as a sto for projection 40. This holds upper section 31 in a position such that it can be easily removed from neck portion 21.

An index mark may be provided on upper section 31, if desired, either in addition to or in lieu of the stop provided at the end of thread portion 24.

Projection 44 is shorter than the space between rings 25 and 26 to allow for downward motion when upper section 31 is being tightened.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it is not possible to remove cap from bottle 20 without being provided with some indication as to the positions of the sections 31, 32 and 33 of bottle cap 30. When upper section 31 is unscrewed, portion may abut the end of arcuate portion 24 of thread 22. However, an appropriate two letters in indicia 34 and 35 must then be aligned and the two letters in turn aligned with index mark 29. Cap 30 may then be removed from bottle 20.

In accordance with the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the bottle 20 and the cap 30 therefore would prevent a child from opening the bottle. The partial thread 22 nevertheless can keep the upper section 31 of the cap 30 tight to the upper end of the bottle 20. However, removal of upper section 31 will not permit cap 30 to be removed from bottle 20 unless projection 44 is aligned with slot 27 and projection 45 is aligned with slot 28 simultaneously. It will be observed that this is very difiicult unless one knows what the combination of the lock is.

One cap 30 is assembled to body 20 to the position shown in FIG. 6, intermediate section 32 and lower section 33 may be turned independently to locate projections 44 and 45 at any random position about the axis of neck portion 21. Due to the spring expansion of intermediate section 32, a friction fit may be provided between upper section 31 and intermediate section 32, and between intermediate section 32 and lower section 33. This means that once projections 44 and 45 are out of vertical alignment, it will be very difiicult to align them as in FIGS. 6 and 7 unless the combination of the lock is known.

As stated previously, once the combination is known, indicia 34 may be correlated with indicia 35 and in turn correlated with index mark 29. Note will be taken from FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 that index mark 29 extends downwardly below the lower end of lower section 33 of cap 30.

For use herein, the word neck is hereby defined to include both neck portion 21 of bottle 20 and neck adaptor 36.

Note will be taken from the foregoing and following description and claims that the parts of the invention may easily be transposed without departing from the invention. In the first place, note will be taken that rib 47 could be turned outwardly and rib 48 could be turned inwardly. In this case, intermediate section 32 could fit on the outside of upper section 31. In the same manner, intermediate section 32 could fit on the outside of lower section 33.

It will also be noted that either one of rings 25 or 26 or both of them could be provided on intermediate and lower sections 32 and 33, respectively, of cap 30. In this case, projections 44 and 45 would be provided on neck portion 21 of bottle 20. This embodiment of the invention is not preferred because cap 30 remains in a more stable position when the partsv are as shown in the drawings.

Similar to the foregoing, male thread 22 may be provided in upper section 31 of cap 30 and a female thread may be provided on neck portion 21 of bottle 20.

What is claimed is:

1. In a container including a bottle having a neck and a male thread on said neck, the combination comprising: a neck extension tube having one end with a female thread to match the thread of said neck, said one end of said tube being fixed to said neck, said tube having a male thread at its upper end, said tube male thread having two arcuate portions approximately 90 degrees in arcuate extent and spaced angularly apart about 90 degrees; a first ring fixed to the exterior of said tube below said tube male thread, said first ring having a bottom edge in a plane normal to the axis of said tube, said first ring having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, said first ring gap being located around said tube at a position below the space between the said portions of said tube male thread; a second ring fixed to the exterior of said tube below said first ring, said second ring having a bottom edge in a plane normal to the axis of said tube, said second ring having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, said second ring gap being located around said tube at a position below said first ring gap, said first ring gap having an arcuate extent less than the space between the said portions of said tube male thread, said first ring gap having an arcuate extent at least as large as that of said second ring gap; a cap on said tube including upper, intermediate and lower sections, said upper and lower sections being rotatably mounted on said intermediate section, said upper section having a pair of inwardly extending projections to fit in between said tube male thread portions; said upper section projections having female thread portions to mate with said tube male thread portions, said intermediate section having an inwardly extending projection to fit the gap in said first ring, said lower section having an inwardly extending projection to fit the gap in said second ring, said rings being spaced vertically apart a distance sufficient to allow said intermediate section projection to rotate around said tube therebetween; a mark on said tube in said gaps extending downwardly below said lower cap section when said cap is assembled to said tube; and a series of indicia extending around the exterior of said lower and intermediate cap sections.

2. A container comprising: a bottle having a neck; a male thread at the upper end of said neck, said male thread having two arcuate portions approximately 90 degrees in arcuate extent and spaced angularly apart about 90 degrees; a first ring fixed to the exterior of said neck below said male thread, said first ring having a bottom edge in aplane normal to the axis of said neck, said first ring having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, said first ring gap being located around said neck at a position below the space between said male thread portions; a second ring fixedto the exterior of said neck below said first ring, said second ring having a bottom edge in a plane normal to the axis of said neck, said second ring having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, said second ring gap being located around said neck at a position below said first ring gap, said first ring gap having an arcuate extent less than the space between the said portions of said male thread, said first ring gap having an arcuate extent at least as large as that of said second ring gap; a cap on said bottle including upper, intermediate and lower sections, said upper and lower sections being rotatably mounted on said intermediate section, said upper. section having a pair of inwardly extending projections to fit in between said male thread portions, said upper section projections having female thread portions to mate with said male thread portions, said intermediate section having an inwardly extending projection to fit the gap in said first ring, said lower sectionhaving an inwardly extending projection to fitthe gap insaid second ring, said rings being spaced vertically apart a distance sufficient to allow said intermediate section projection to rotate around said neck therebetween; a mark on said neck in said gaps extending downwardly below said lower cap section when said cap is: assembled. to said neck; and a series-of indicia extending around the exterior of said lower and intermediate cap sections.

3. A container comprising: .a neck; a partial turn male thread on said neck, said male thread having arcuately spaced ends; a ring fixed to the exterior of said neck, said ring having a bottom edge in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said neck, said ring having a gap therein small in comparison to the length of said ring; and a cap on said neck, said cap having an upper section rotatable on a lower section, said lower section having an inwardly extending projection of a size and location to slip down through said gap to a position below said ring, said gap being located below the said space between said male thread ends, said upper section having a partial female thread to mate with said male thread.

4. A container comprising: a neck; a partial male thread on the exterior of said neck, said male thread having arcuately spaced ends; a pair of axially spaced rings fixed to the exterior of said neck below said male thread, each of said rings having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, each of said rings having a lower edge in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said neck; a cap on said neck, said cap having upper, intermediate and lower sections, said upper and intermediate sections being rotatable relative to each other, said intermediate and lower sections also being rotatable relative to each other, said upper section having a female thread to fit said male thread, said intermediate section having an inwardly extending projection to slide downwardly through the gap in the top ring to a position therebelow, said lower section having an inwardly extending projection to slide downwardly through both gaps to a position below the bottom ring; and a series of indicia around said intermediate and lower cap sections.

5. A container comprising a neck portion; a cap portion on said neck portion; a partial male thread on one of said portions, said male thread having arcuately spaced ends; a pair of axially spaced rings fixed to said one portion below said male thread, each of said rings having a gap therein small in comparison to its length, each of said rings having an edge in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said neck portion, said cap portion having upper, intermediate and lower sections, said upper and intermediate sections being rotatable relative to each other, said intermediate and lower sections being rotatable relative to each other, the other of said portions having a female thread to fit said male thread; a first projection fixed to said other portion, said first projection having a size and location to slide through the gap in the top ring to a position adjacent said top ring edge; a second projection fixed to said other portion,

said second projection having a size and location to slide through both gaps to a position adjacent said bottom ring edge; and a series of indicia around said intermediate and lower cap sections.

6. A container cap comprising: a cup-shaped upper section having a partial female thread therein, said upper section having an inward radially extending rib at its lower end; a tube-like intermediate section having a longitudinal slot extending completely through the wall thereof along the entire length thereof, said intermediate section having upper and lower outwardly extending radial ribs at the ends thereof, said intermediate section having an inwardly extending projection; and a tube-like lower section having an inward radially extending rib at its upper end, said lower section also having an inwardly extending projection, said intermediate section being of a size and having a resilience such that said upper rib will snap fit into said upper section to a position above said upper section rib, and said lower rib will snap fit into said lower section to a position below said lower section rib.

7. A container comprising: a neck portion; a cap portion on said neck portion; and a ring between said portions fixed to one of said portions, said ring having an edge in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of said neck portion, said ring having a gap therein small in comparison to the length of said ring, the other of said portions having a radially extending projection of a size and location to slip through the gap between the ends of said ring to a position adjacent said edge; and wherein a partial male thread is fixed to one of said portions and a mating female thread is fixed to the other of said portions, said male thread having arcuately spaced ends, said cap portion having upper and lower sections, said upper section being positioned above said ring and said projection, said sections being rotatable relative to each other, one of said threads being fixed to the said upper section of said cap portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,668 1/1907 Cowles 21598 1,351,496 8/1920 Spooner 21544 1,609,453 12/1926 Atwood 2l595 X 1,758,696 5/1930 Graham 215- X 2,987,207 6/1961 Stevolf 215-9 3,129,834 4/1964 Kimball 2159 FOREIGN PATENTS 721,125 11/1965 Canada.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

